Titles: welterweight champion 1955 and 1956, middleweight champion
from 1957 to 1958.
Record: 56-16-7 (27 K.O's)
Born: April 2, 1927 in Canastota, New York (USA)
Years active: 1948-1961
Nickname: The Onion Farmer
A fighter who didn't look like he didn't belonged in the ring. Small,
crouched over, battered face, and awkward Basilio didn't look like much.
But the people who saw him up close, his opponents saw a great fighter.
Basilio started as a 21 year old ex-marine who learned the boxing business
as he went along and his early career featured quite a few defeats and
draws. He won the welterweight crown twice, after loosing his first shot
at the hands of Kid Gavilan but winning 2 years later by knocking out
Toney Demarco in the 12th round. In his second defense he lost a decision
to Johnny Saxton which many thought was a shockingly bad verdict. A
rematch saw Basilio win by knockout. Basilio then moved up in weight to
go after the middleweight title. Beat Sugar Ray Robinson in a great battle
for the middleweight championship and then lost it to him in their second
meeting. Both fights were thrilling encounters by any standards. Those
two fights took a lot out of Basilio yet he still fought on and took three
more shots at the middleweight crown. He lost twice to Gene Fullmer and
once to Paul Pender. After the Pender defeat Basilio retired from the
ring.